PM Rasizade: Azerbaijan attaches great importance to cooperation with Estonia

Estonian Foreign Minister Sven Mikser met with Azerbaijani top-officials within the framework of his visit to Baku.

During the meeting with Prime Minister Artur Rasizade on June 12, the sides noted that cooperation on joint projects in non-oil, agricultural, transport, IT, trade, tourism and humanitarian spheres, as well as collaboration within the EU is in the best interests of the two countries.

Rasizade said that Azerbaijan attaches great importance to mutually fruitful cooperation with Estonia, Azertac reported.

“The two countries have political will and necessary legal base for strengthening friendship and expanding economic and cultural relations,” he said.

During discussion of international and regional problems, Rasizade also touched upon the Armenian-Azerbaijani, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

He spoke about the efforts of the republic's leadership to resolve the conflict, as well as the double standards shown by some countries in this matter. He once again reminded that the solution of the issue is possible only within the framework of legal norms, based on the principles of territorial integrity and inviolability of the borders of Azerbaijan.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

Earlier on this day, Estonian FM held a joint press conference with his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov, where the sides said the two countries enjoy great potential to deepen relations.